Manarola, a Goal

On the easel:

Manarola, Cinque Terre, 8X10 acrylic

An Italian friend gave me some pictures of this area. The other day I was doing my "Gallery sit" and they asked us to bring something to paint while we were there, so it seemed the time was right to start on this one. It's in acrylic, and recently I've been working in oils. Forgot how fast they dry! The Masterson sta-wet palette is wonderful for this, but I forgot and just plopped some "Gray Matters" paper palettes in the case and headed off. I should have used the sta-wet feature!! Fortunately I had a little spray bottle and kept moistening the paints.

This was odd because I started at the bottom of the picture. Perhaps I got entranced by the road system hanging off the cliffs and the reflections in the water.
Putting a lot of water and a little paint worked well to wash in some of the colors intended for certain areas. To keep them straight.

Landcape practice

Ok, I guess I've got to get out more! I'm painting landscapes from photos and the weather is starting to get nice, no excuses. Well, lots of excuses, no good reasons.

Arizona Weather, oil, long and narrow

Well, that was pure laziness, I didn't get up and go measure it. It's about that high, and longer horizontally.
Anyway, working from a photo in an old Arizona Highways. Remember those? When I was a kid I never saw the point, we were in Arizona all the time. When I close my eyes I can remember the smell of rain on the way. (I am rather please with the cacti.)

Winter, acrylic

Nope, now it's too purple. The trees look like little soldiers, but sometimes they do and you have to give them variety. Next.

Glen/Loch 8X10 oil

This has been in the works for several days. The right side will get more texture in the grass and make the ledges more irregular. Etc. It's a loch in Scotland, and it was just too beautiful to not paint it.

The Road to Helms Deep, 8X10 oil

Todays work.
This is from a photo taken either by Forrest or Sara. They both take great pictures and it wasn't labelled. They live in NZ now and they climb everything that goes up. They also take spectacular photos.
The spot in the middle ground was on my camera, not the picture. It's still all pretty near medium value and light value, the darker values will give it more punch. The little green bits in the foreground are actually full grown trees! The scale on this one is amazing.

When is it finished?

Canning

This was started almost a year ago. It's gone through quite a few incarnations. For a long time there was an additional jar (empty), more tomatoes, no onion, no bell pepper, all sorts of decisions and second guesses. The shape of the enamel ware bowl kept changing too. After the still life set up was gone, the angle never looked right. The garlic in the jar was glowingly white, but it always seemed too bright until I dulled it, then it looked wrong that way too. I learned a lot on this one. Mostly patience and practice. Now I have either finished it or given up on it.
 I welcome suggestions or comments, but I might not make any changes in this one. It's been through so much already.  This goes in to the group I call Kitchen Pictures. They are Still Life's, but of a kind that would work well in a kitchen or casual dinning room.
It's time to probably do something more formal again. Right now landscapes are getting most of the painting time.
The weather is not being cooperative, but there are some regularly meeting plein air groups in the area with which it will be great to work with again. I use oils so the paint doesn't dry out while I'm working  outside.

ACEO Supplies-Canvas Paper

This got scanned a little crooked, huh? Anyway.
Just curious, I got something called "canvas paper," in this case pre cut to ACEO specifications, 2.5X3.5 inches. It was a new substance on which to paint for me. Well, I was not particularly impressed, it tends to curl and buckle. That might be OK on a larger sheet, but on one this small...how on earth do you hang on to it and try to paint?

I tried taping it down, but there is so little surface for the tape. Pins and tacks got in the way. You should have seen my fingers during all this! There was not much of a picture as a result. If anyone has any ideas on how to make it worth it to buy this size, let me know.

Much later, months later, I picked up the same little picture and thought I'd give it another try. The second time was better. I think mostly because the previous painting stabilized it. This little red door was the result. It's from a photo taken by my nephew while vacationing in Malta.

By the time I finished this one, I was paint to my elbows! The first time was worse.

Follow up from yesterday (Snoopy Dance)

Legacy, Thanks Mom 4X4 acrylic

Yee-haw! (left over from my Texas life) everything and body woke up fine this morning, including the printer! I'm a cookin'!

 Ah, now I'm back from computer concerns, this weekend was a plein air paint out at the Sunol Wilderness this Saturday. Since it's in my area, I've painted there before. It's a wonderful place, but you aren't allowed to park along the road that has the great views. You are welcome to hike there. Let me think...no thanks. Sometime, when I have a lighter rig. Well, when I'm lighter too, and in better shape. It can get really HOT there in the Summer, but amazingly, after several days in the 90's and above, suddenly it cooled off to the 70's. Alas, I couldn't make it that day, so I went there after church and a visit to the Apple Store geniuses, and ended up taking lots of pictures. Results to come.

The little picture above was a Challenge from Daily Paint Works to paint the tools of the trade. My mom was a painter (violinist, singer, pianist etc) and I have some of her old paints and things. Since they are in metal tubes and are well used they are more "picturesque" than the newer ones. One even has the old, faded price sticker on it. It was an interesting challenge to get the modeling of all those folds and creases, and the lettering. Ever heard of Pictor paint? This was probably purchased in Southeast Asia. It's still viable, though. Thanks Mom!